Electric Cars 2015 — Prices, Efficiency, Range, Pics, More

Update [January 10, 2015]: Since this article still gets a lot of traffic, rather than create an entirely new article for 2015, I’m simply changing this 2014 list to a 2015 list. Also, as I have done in the past year, I will update the info here when new cars or data arrive. In case it is helpful to anyone, I will also start putting updates on the bottom of this page to note when and where I made changes. Thanks to everyone who has helped to make this page as useful as it is, and thanks to everyone who does so in the future!

Wondering what electric cars are on the market or soon will be? Wonder no more. I’m going to run down all of them in the article below. I will also add a few key details and commentary for each one (including prices, efficiency, range, and # of seats when such information is available).

Furthermore, I’m doing something I don’t think I’ve seen anywhere else — I’m listing all of the electric cars that are available in the US and all of the electric cars that are available in Europe. In the case of electric cars only available in Europe, I’ve tried to find the prices in euros in key markets, in British pounds, and sometimes in other popular markets (like Norway).

The cars are listed from most affordable to most expensive — before the US federal tax credit for EVs. Note that 100% electrics come with higher tax credits, so can end up being cheaper than plug-in hybrids. Also, tax credits are greater for plug-in hybrids with bigger batteries, so even within that category cars can swap places after calculating the tax credit. (Also don’t forget that many other countries, US states, and even some cities and regions offer EV incentives of their own, some of which apply to all of the cars below, and some of which only apply to 100% electrics.)

Bolloré Bluecar

4 seats

250 kilometers (155 miles) — European (warped) testing

100% electric

€12,000 + €80/mo battery (France)

Europe

The Bolloré Bluecar is a low-price, simple electric car produced and only available in France. It is used in the Autolib’ carsharing program in Paris, but is also available to retail customers. It was the 16th-best-selling electric car in Europe in 2013. It’s not going to thrill most people, but it will get you from A to B.

Mitsubishi i

112 MPGe

4 seats

62 miles (100 km)

100% electric

$22,995 ($15,495)

US

The Mitsubishi i (aka Mitsubishi i-MiEV) is one of the most basic electric cars on the market, but also one of the cheapest. As noted below, the Citröen C-Zero, Peugeot iOn, and Mitsubishi i all have essentially the same design but serve different markets.

Smart Electric Drive

The smart electric drive could be the cheapest electric car on the US market… if you don’t own or lease it for very long. However, due to an $80/month battery rental, the price rises to about the same as a 2014 Mitsubishi i within 3 years (note that the Mitsubishi i seats 4, while the smart electric drive seats two). Within about 6 years, the smart electric drive is about the same price as a 5-seat and much more plush Nissan Leaf. In my personal opinion, the smart electric drive is a hard sell — unless you really want a tiny car or only want it for 2 to 3 years. Read my review of the smart electric drive here or the review of an owner who sold his Camaro for the smart electric drive here.

Renault Zoe

169 MPGe

5 seats

210 kilometers (130 miles) — European (warped) testing

100% electric

€20,900 (France) / £13,995

Europe

If I were on the market for a car, the Renault Zoe would certainly be in the running. It’s a good-looking, 100%-electric, super-affordable car with great reviews. It’s about the same price in France, its home country, as the Nissan Leaf is in the US, and just a little more than the base Leaf costs in France (€18,090). Basically, the choice comes down to personal preferences.

Chevy Spark EV

119 MPGe

4 seats

82 miles (132 km)

100% electric

$27,495 ($19,995)

US

The Chevy Spark EV is a low-priced 100%-electric car that has gotten good reviews (compared to its gasoline cousin, that is) but is only available in a few markets. The Chevy Spark EV was the first car on the market that could use the SAE Combo Fast Charging system.

Nissan Leaf

114 MPGe

5 seats

84 miles (135 km)

100% electric

$29,010 ($21,510)

Worldwide

The Nissan Leaf is seemingly the most competitive electric car on the market. It is the world’s best-selling electric car, and sales have only been increasing (thanks to falling prices and word of mouth). After test driving several EVs myself, I have to say that it would be hard to beat the Nissan Leaf for the money… unless you have enough money to dump on a higher-end EV, like the Tesla Model S, Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric, or BMW i3. Read my full Nissan Leaf review here.

Ford Focus Electric

105 MPGe

5 seats

76 miles (122 km)

100% electric

$29,170 ($21,670)

US

The Ford Focus Electric is Ford’s only 100%-electric car has long been overpriced and simply unable to compete with competitors like the Nissan Leaf. It has long been priced considerably higher than the Nissan Leaf — which is also more widely available — but Ford finally knocked the price down by several thousand dollars in recent months… but with very little broadcasting of the price drop. Needless to say, it still isn’t selling nearly as well as the Leaf.

Toyota Prius PHEV

95 MPGe on battery; 50 MPG on gas

5 seats

11 miles (18 km)

Plug-in Hybrid

$29,990 ($27,490)

Worldwide

The Toyota Prius Plug-in was either the 2nd- or 3rd-best-selling electric car worldwide in 2013. Unfortunately, its electric range is just 11 miles, then the gas engine kicks in. The Prius PHEV is most likely aided by the strong, high-selling Prius brand. It mainly competes with the Chevy Volt, Ford C-Max Energi, and Ford Fusion Energi, but it has more seats than the Volt and is almost $10,000 cheaper than the Fusion Energi. So, its closest competitor is probably the Ford C-Max Energi. This seems to be a good place in the EV spectrum, as both cars have been doing quite well. Of course, the C-Max Energi has 10 more miles of electric range, almost double the Prius PHEV’s 11 miles. Either due to the increasing competition, people simply deciding they want more electric range, or Toyota cutting supply, sales of the Prius Plug-in fell off a lot toward the end of 2014.

Ford C-Max Energi

100 MPGe on battery; 43 MPG on gas

5 seats

21 miles (34 km)

Plug-in Hybrid

$31,635 ($27,885)

US

One of two cars in Ford’s Energi (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) lineup, the Ford C-Max Energi has quite good specs for someone who doesn’t drive very far on most days but wants to take very long trips fairly regularly. It’s also good for larger families, as it seats up to 5 people. Despite seating 5, it is cheaper than the Chevy Volt… until you factor in the federal tax credit. The C-Max Energi is also the most efficient plug-in hybrid electric car on the market. As a result of all of this, the car has sold quite well. Despite only being available in the US, the C-Max Energi was the 8th-best-selling electric car in the world in 2013.

VW e-Up!

5 seats

130 kilometers (81 miles) — European (warped) testing

100% electric

€26,900 (Germany) / £19,250

Europe

The VW e-up! is an affordable, rather simple electric car but also has some unique braking flexibility and is an adequately comfortable and modern car. I prefer the Leaf, but I think plenty of people might prefer the e-Up!… especially if they are VW fans or want more control over their regenerative braking options. Read my full VW e-Up! review here.

Kia Soul EV

105 MPGe

5 seats

93 miles (150 km)

100% electric

$33,700 ($26,200)

US & Korea

The Kia Soul EV is a snazzy electric vehicle with a bit more space on the inside than the average car, and a clear youngster appeal. With good specs and a decent price, the Soul EV could sell well… if Kia really tries to sell it. Also, hamsters love the thing.

Chevy Volt

98 MPGe (battery); 37 MPG (gas)

4 seats

38 miles (61 km)

Plug-in Hybrid

$34,345 ($26,845)

US & Canada

The Chevy Volt is one of the most widely acclaimed electric cars on the market. It is the top-selling electric car in the US to date. In 2013, it was the 2nd-best-selling electric car in the world. Volt owners are known as Voltheads and were “the happiest drivers” in the US for two years running… before the Tesla Model S arrived (as per Consumer Reports owner satisfaction surveys).

Ford Fusion Energi

100 MPGe

5 seats

21 miles (34 km)

Plug-in Hybrid

$34,700 ($30,693)

US

Quite similar to the Ford C-Max Energi but with a few more bells & whistles, the Ford Fusion Energi has done quite well since its introduction in February 2013. The Ford Fusion Energi certainly offers some competition to the Chevy Volt, the Toyota Prius Plug-in, and its sister, the C-Max Energi. Importantly, for some people, it is larger than all three of these competitors. It has a bit less electric range than the Volt, but it has enough seats for five passengers. (It has much more electric range than the Prius, and the same as the C-Max Energi — both of which seat 5.) And it is quite the looker.

VW e-Golf

116 MPGe

5 seats

83 miles (134 km)

100% electric

$35,445 ($27,945) / €34,900 (Germany)

US & Europe

The Volkswagen e-Golf is VW’s second electric car, following close behind the VW e-Up! Clearly, it’s an electric version of VW’s extremely popular Golf model. The e-Golf is one of the closest competitors to the world-leading Nissan LEAF, so it could potentially see very big sales numbers. However, its significantly higher price is certainly keeping sales down a lot, so VW will have to change that if it actually wants to sell this car.

Peugeot iOn

4 seats

150 kilometers (93 miles) — European (warped) testing

100% electric

€29,600 (France) / £21,216 / 177,800 NOK

Europe

The Peugeot iOn is essentially the same as the Citröen C-Zero (below) and Mitsubishi i (above). Actually, doing a Google search for the Peugeot iOn’s price in the US, Google shows me the Mitsubishi i and its price. (Smart, Google is.) With sales a little below its twin, the Citröen C-Zero, and the Bolloré Bluecar, the Peugeot iOn was the 17th-best-selling electric car in Europe in 2013.

Citröen C-Zero

4 seats

150 kilometers (93 miles) — European (warped) testing

100% electric

€29,600 (France) / £21,216 / 233,900 NOK

Europe

The Citröen C-Zero is produced in France but it was developed in collaboration with Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. Again it is a twin of the Peugeot iOn and Mitsubishi i, basically just with a different brand attached. For whatever reason, I am not a fan of the Citröen logo and much prefer the Peugeot iOn. But really, it’s the same damn car!

Honda Accord PHEV

115 MPGe on battery; 46 MPG on gas

5 seats

13 miles (21 km)

Plug-in Hybrid

$39,780 ($36,154)

US

Coming in a bit higher in price than the Chevy Volt, Toyota Prius Plug-in, Ford C-Max Energi, and Ford Fusion Energi has certainly hurt the Honda Accord Plug-in‘s sales. However, limited availability has likely had an even stronger impact on those sales. Furthermore, having just 13 miles of electric range doesn’t particularly excite would-be electric car buyers. The good news is that the Accord Plug-in is very efficient when using the electric motor. But, yeah, this is a compliance car.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

5 seats

30 miles (48 km) — European (warped) testing

Plug-in Hybrid

€33,050 (Netherlands) / 440,800 NOK

Europe, Japan, & soon US

The Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in is a hot plug-in hybrid electric SUV/crossover that has been selling very well in its home country of Japan and initial European markets. It was initially supposed to make it to the US market in 2013, but due to manufacturing delays, the target is now 2015. Despite just hitting the market in the second half of 2013, the Outlander PHEV was the 5th-best-selling electric car in the world in 2013. Furthermore, it arrived in Europe at the end of the year, and it ranked #3 there, only behind the Nissan Leaf & Renault Zoe. In 2014, the Outlander PHEV was the top-selling EV in Europe.

In the Netherlands, where Outlander PHEVs sells extremely well, prices range from €33,050 ($45,300) to €42,967 ($58,900) before VAT. In Norway, they range from 440,800 kroners ($72,600) to 465,800 kroners ($76,700). In its home country of Japan, the Outlander PHEV starts at 3,397,500 yen ($33,350) and goes up to 4,370,500 yen ($42,900) — 5 different options are available there. Clearly, there’s a ton of variation in price.

BMW i3

124 MPGe

4 seats

81 miles (130 km)

100% electric or REx

$41,350 ($33,850)

US & Europe

The BMW i3 is BMW’s first 100%-electric car built electric from the ground up. It is part of BMW’s “born electric” i series. It’s price puts it somewhat in the middle of the Nissan Leaf and the Tesla Model S. Despite looking a bit bulky, the BMW i3 is the lightest electric car on the market, thanks to its carbon fiber body. It’s a smooth & sweet drive. Compared to BMW’s overall sales, the i3 is selling very well, making it clear that BMW is one of the auto-manufacturing pioneers in the electric vehicle space. Read my full BMW i3 review here.

Tesla Model S

95 MPGe

5 seats

208 miles (335 km) | 253 (407) | 265 (426) | 270 (435)

100% awesome

$71,070 ($63,570)

Worldwide

The Tesla Model S is widely regarded as not just the best electric car on the market, but the best car of any type on the mass market (see here, here, here, here, and here for just a few examples). So, for many people, if they can afford a $70,000–$120,000 car, the Model S is as good as it gets.

This car has flipped the electric car and overall auto world on its head in many respects. It is a top-selling luxury/performance car, and it was the 2nd- or 3rd-best-selling electric car worldwide in 2013, despite its high price tag. All the while, it was production-limited rather than demand-limited.

Cadillac ELR

82 MPGe (battery) & 31 MPG (gas)

4 seats

37 miles (60 km)

Plug-in Hybrid

$75,000 ($67,500)

US

The Cadillac ELR is a high-end, luxury, plug-in hybrid electric car that hit the market at the very end of 2013. In many respects, it is essentially a more luxurious Chevy Volt. It is pretty. Though, its high price was hard to justify compared to other options on the table, so you can now find the car for a price much below its MSRP… as in, cuts of nearly $30,000.

Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid

47 MPGe

5 seats

14 miles (23 km)

Plug-in Hybrid

$76,400 ($71,064)

US & Europe

Following the successful Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid (see below), Porsche launched the Cayenne S E-Hybrid at the end of 2014. The Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.4 seconds, and has a top speed of 151 mph. I think “wicked” is the word for that.

Volvo V60 PHEV

The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is a diesel hybrid that has excited many an EV journalist and blogger. It’s a sweet plug-in hybrid with class and comfort. But, really, it’s more than that. From the British brochure for the Volvo V60 PHEV: “The Volvo V60 D6 AWD Plug-in Hybrid is like nothing you’ve ever experienced. It’s the world’s first and only luxury diesel hybrid that also runs on pure electricity. It’s a car born from Volvo’s vision of a sustainable future and increasingly efficient cars. And it’s a dream realised – a pioneering, engineering revolution that gives you three different ways to drive in one extraordinary car.” The car can go from 0–60 mph in under 6 seconds. No Model S, but not bad for a practical and luxury vehicle.

Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid

50 MPGe

4 seats

22 miles (35 km)

Plug-in Hybrid

$99,000 ($94,248)

US & Europe

The Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid is a plug-in hybrid electric sports car that is everything you’d expect — awesome. It can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in ~5 seconds. The Panamera S E-Hybrid now accounts for nearly 10% of all Panamera sales.

BMW i8

76 MPGe

4 seats

15 miles (24 km)

Plug-in Hybrid

$135,700 ($131,907)

US & Europe

The BMW i8 is BMW’s second i-series car. It’s one of the most expensive cars on the market — actually, the most expensive on the mass market today. It comes with great acceleration (0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds) and a ton of style. It’s hard not to covet this beauty.

Rimac Concept_One

The Rimac Concept_One is no everyman’s car. It is an electric supercar out of Croatia that costs a fortune… as in, $1 million. Needless to say, most of us will be lucky to even see one of these, let alone touch one, let alone ride in one, let alone own one. Still, it’s a beauty worth mentioning, and I’m hopeful it will get produced in 2015. As of now, 88 initial cars are planned for production in 2015. The Rimac Concept_One can reportedly go from 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds, and has a horsepower of 1,088. Yep, that’s a “supercar.” Rimac Automobili is a Croatian company, and it recently landed a good bit more investment in order to produce the initial 88 cars.

Coming in 2015, Details to Follow

Tesla Model X

Tesla’s next model is the ridiculously cool and highly desired Model X, a crossover/SUV with similar performance and specs as the Model S. As Elon Musk has said, the choice between the Model X and Model S is really just whether or not you want an SUV/crossover or a sedan. The Model X is especially special for combining excellent performance, great utility, and hot styling. Not many vehicles can do that. Its signature feature? Its falcon-wing doors.

BMW X5 eDrive

Perhaps the closest competitor to the Model X, the BMW X5 eDrive is a plug-in hybrid electric SUV that will have its fair share of performance, luxury, and high-tech features. It will be able to learn your driving habits and teach you how to drive more efficiently, it will be able to avoid crashes that some drivers would fail to escape from, and it will probably have a bit more “luxury” than the Model X. On the other hand, it won’t have the acceleration, seating capacity, or looks of th Model X. In order to compete, I’d think the X5 eDrive would have to be quite a bit more affordable than the Model X, which might be hard to pull off.

Volvo XC90 T8

The Volvo XC90 T8 is yet another plug-in hybrid electric SUV expected to hit the market in 2015. As we reported previously, “Volvo claims that the new T8 ‘Twin Engine’ setup is good for 25 miles (40 km) of pure electric driving, and delivers a total output of 400 HP with more than 470 lb-ft of torque while producing just 60 g/km of C02,” and Volvo claims that the 2015 Volvo XC90 T8 will offer the best performance and fuel economy in its class.

Audi Q7 Plug-in

The Audi Q7 is another plug-in hybrid from Audi. This SUV/crossover will reportedly be able to go from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.1 seconds — hard to beat in this class. The highly awaited luxury plug-in from Audi has a good shot of lifting Audi out of the doldrums of electric inactivity and toward the top of the list for EV enthusiasts. We’ll see.

Audi A3 e-Tron

The Audi A3 e-Tron is already on sale at over 100 German dealerships, but it is no this list because it is expected to make its US debut in 2015. There’s already a US webpage for it, and you can sign up for updates. It’s another plug-in hybrid electric car (this seems to be the theme in 2015, quite different from 2014). The electric-only range is estimated to be 18 miles (29 km), which is not spectacular, but is better than the Toyota Prius Plug-in. It can go from 0 to 60 mph in a 7.6 seconds. It has also landed a difficult 5 stars in Europe’s safety ratings. I think it’ll be hard for the Audi A3 e-Tron to compete with the Chevy Volt or Ford Energi models on value for the money, but some will prefer the e-Tron’s looks and the Audi brand, and the President of Audi of America, Scott Keogh, contends that this is not going to be a “compliance car.” We’ll see.

BMW 3 Series Plug-in

As it promised, BMW is continuing the electrification of its entire lineup. It recently announced a plug-in hybrid version of the BMW 3 Series, which we are hopeful will hit the market in 2015. As covered over on Planetsave: “The drive system of the new PHEV prototype possesses an output of around 245 hp (183 kW), and maximum torque of around 400 N·m (295 lb-ft). The prototype averages about 2 liters/100 km (117.5 mpg US) with regard to fuel consumption, and about 50 g/km with regard to CO2 emissions. When in all-electric mode, the prototype can reach speeds of up to 120 km/h (74.5 mph), and possesses a range of around 35 kilometers (22 miles).” Note, however, that the range is probably based on European testing, and will likely be closer to 15 miles in the US.

VW Passat GTE Plug-in

The VW Passat GTE Plug-in, unveiled in 2014, is expected to go from 0 to 60 mph in under 8 seconds, which is respectable for an average-priced car. Of course, being electric, that will feel much faster than a gasoline car with the same time. It will also have a very high top speed of 136 mph. It’s all-electric range will also be very good for a plug-in hybrid: 31 miles (though, that figure may be for Europe, and the US one would be quite a bit lower than the Europe one). Sporty, sleek, and with decent specs, if the price is right, this one could sell. Unfortunately, the VW Passat GTE Plug-in is just set for release in Europe at the moment, probably in 2015.